A Friend That Can Stand The Test Of Time
by newbienovelistRD
Summary: Jocu shows Zambanza the things that truly matter.


**A story by guestsurpise! Enjoy and Happy 4th of July! :D**

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Jocu was busy throwing Zambanza up and down in the air as she giggled. She now had a new family and a new life. And even better? It was almost the Fourth of July!

"How does it feel?" Jocu smiled.

"What do you mean?" Zambanza smiled.

"How does it feel to have a family now?" Jocu grinned, now looking up at her as he held her above him as he laid back on the floor.

"Well, I definitely care for Rachel, Hope, and Shocks. But…" Zambanza hesitated.

"It's the concept of love isn't it?" Jocu added helpfully.

"Well. I just don't know much about being in a family," she said honestly, but giggled as Jocu wiggled his tail against her ears.

"You don't have to know anything. You just have to let us love you," Jocu said gently. But Jocu noticed some nearby children shaking in their shoes. The young magician had a reputation that made many fear her. Even the Knights were intimidated by her.

But before Jocu could say anything more, they heard that Zombozo was in the area and he was attacking some of the largest buildings!

"Why that creep!" Zambanza hissed, now about to stand up but Jocu wrapped all four arms around her.

"Woah wait a minute! Where are you going?!" he said, now hugging her to him.

"Let me go Jocu! I'm going to get even with him if it's the last thing I do," Zambanza said.

"Zambanza, calm down. Revenge is not always the answer," he said gently.

But the minute Zambanza heard he had invaded and destroyed one of her favorite places to watch the kids, the park where she and the other kids used to play, she lost it!

"THAT DOES IT!" she screamed, now waving her wand and disappearing into a puff of smoke!

"NO!" Jocu said, now seeing her vanish from his arms. He then teleported to tell Rachel what happened.

"Where is she going?!" Rachel said in horror.

"To stop Zombozo," Jocu said.

"NO! He'll hurt her!" Shocks said, now standing to his feet.

"We've got to get to her!" Hope said, now teleporting all of them to get to Zambanza. But when they arrived, they saw Zamabanza was holding her own, but she was after the evil clown with all that was in her!

"I'll send you to the bottom of the sea!" she yelled.

"I'd like to see ya try kid!" the clown laughed back.

"We must stop this before someone gets killed!" Shocks said, now running and attacking the clown. He jumped on him to prevent him from hurting his new daughter.

"Shocks?! What are they doing here?!" Zambanza said in shock.

"Trying to protect you!" Hope said, now trying to protect all of the kids in the area. "Zambanza, get back to the mansion!"

"What?! And let him escape?!" Zambanza said, now seeing the large jungle gym and other parts of the park in pieces. She then had a flashback of when Rachel got playfully stuck in the wall of one of the jungle gyms and that's where they had their first real encounter. She tickled Rachel and Rachel definitely tickled her back! But those memories were dashed as the jungle gym burned more to the ground. Hope was distracted by the slight tear that she saw go down Zambanza's face and was shocked with a blast from Zombozo's gun!

"HOPE!" Rachel and Shocks cried out, but they were both blasted by Zombozo!

"I'LL DESTROY YOU!" Zambanza screamed, now letting out a blast from her wand that threw the clown hard into a tree.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" He yelled, now feeling his entire body aching. "Crazy child! This is for you!"

And with that, he threw a ball that threw spikes at her. A few of the spikes cut through her shirt and made her scream in pain.

"Z-Zambanza," Rachel said weakly.

"He's going to hurt her!" Hope said in horror, now trying to weakly get up.

"Hold on baby girl…hold on, I'm coming," Shocks said, now weakly crawling to his daughter. But Zambanza used her wand to provide a forcefield around all three of them. "LET ME OUT!" Shocks pleaded, banging on it.

"I…won't let you guys…get hurt…because of me," Zambanza said weakly.

"ZAMABANZA LOOK OUT!" Rachel screamed, now banging against the wall of the forcefield.

"PLEASE! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Hope pleaded.

But the clown threw another spiked ball and Zambanza closed her eyes, accepting that that may have been her end. But what she heard was a roar that shook the entire area and all she could see was red fur. Opening her eyes, she saw that Jocu took the blow for her and he was currently facing the astonished clown!

"W-What are you?!" Zombozo said. "A rare type of Tetramand?!"

"No… but I will be your undoing if you don't get out of here," Jocu snarled, now letting out a roar. That's all it took for Zombozo to take off running! As Jocu turned, he saw Zambanza looking at him with very wide eyes.

"Hey…what is it?" he asked. He then looked and saw that his arms were currently bleeding since he took the spikes for her. "Not to worry. I am fine."

And with that, he took out each spike without so much as a wince. But Zambanza was speechless. The others walked over and saw her just stare in disbelief.

"Hey, kiddo what's going on?" Shocks said gently. But again no response. "Let's get her out of here. Is everyone ok?"

"I'm ok," Rachel said, now weakly trying to stand but Jocu caught her.

"Easy…I've got you." Jocu cooed, now picking her up as well as the silent clown child. Shocks picked up Hope and Jocu then teleported them back to the mansion.

A few hours later…

Zambanza had been quiet the entire night and had nothing else to say. She just saw them almost give their lives for her and she was in pure shock, but horror that they could have been killed.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked, now walking over to her.

"No. No I'm not. You guys almost died because of me wanting to get revenge." Zambanza said, now looking away.

"So you do care about us huh?" Rachel teased, now trying to lighten the mood.

"Hey, I'm not going soft! I just…know that you all need protection," Zambanza said, now hiding her blush.

"You're acting so tough but you have a heart of gold kiddo," Jocu chuckled, now walking up behind her and hugging her. But she stiffened at his hug, making him smirk. "Aww c'mon. I did that to protect you. Let us into that closed little heart of yours."

"I-I thank you all for what you did, but I can't have you all getting into danger because of HEY!" She gasped as she was literally pounced on by Jocu, Rachel, Shocks, and Hope. All they did was hug and nuzzle her in her neck and face. "H-Hey! Cut it out!"

But the adults ignored her pleas and kept snuggling. Within a few minutes, Rachel nuzzled her neck and received a gentle nuzzle back. That made her smile. Hope gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and received a gentle and soft gentle kiss back. Shocks gently bit her ear in affection and received a gentle one back on his antennae. And last Jocu massaged the area around her heart and he received a small rub on his wounds and near his chest where his heart would be. All four adults grinned at the young magician.

"W-What?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's just good to see the tough girl show us her adorable and golden heart," Shocks cooed, now hugging her and she hugged him and Hope back.

"Yes and soon enough we will shed that tough girl image completely," Rachel smiled, now tickling her stomach and making her giggle.

"H-Hey!" Zamabanza laughed. The others marveled as she let them touch her since she used to not let anyone touch her. "I-I want to make sure you all are ok! We just got out of a battle and you all got injured! I'm sorry for everything."

"We thank you for the apology, but all of that is behind us." Shocks said.

"Yes. You are a part of us and we love you," Hope said, now kissing her head.

"And now let's have a party! It's the Fourth of July!" Rachel beamed, now pointing towards the door. All the aliens came in with 4th of July hats!

"Party time! Come and join us!" Whampire called.

"I have the ice cream and the cake!" Goop said.

"And I have the fireworks!" Four Arms grinned. "All we need are you all!"

As everyone got up to go and enjoy the party, Zambanza turned and saw Jocu grinning at her. She then looked up at him and her light purple eyes beamed with happiness.

"Are you coming? To the party?" she asked.

"Well…I…" he started.

"Of course he is!" Rachel said, now running and grabbing his arms and pulling him in. "He's family! And your brothers should be here soon too!"

And with that, the red prince walked in and saw his brother, mother, father, and knights in the room too! It was a grand family fourth of July celebration! And to top it off, Zambanza stood on the roof of the house and light the sky ablaze with fireworks. Jocu went up there to make sure she would be safe.

"I can take care of myself!" she teased without heat.

"I know you can. But there is nothing wrong with letting others care for you too," he soothed, now nuzzling her neck. But for the first time, Zambanza didn't protest the love and she too cuddled and smiled at his love. Jocu's friendship was beautiful. One that would stand the test of time.

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 **guestsurprise: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!**


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